Sakshi, Jaismine, Nupur clinch gold as India bags 11 medals at World Boxing Cup Astana 2025

Women boxers led India's march to glory as three of them, Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine (57kg) and Nupur (80+kg), registered contrasting victories to bag gold medals as the Indian contingent clinched its best ever medal haul at the World Boxing Cup, Astana, Kazakhstan 2025 on Sunday, as per a release from BFI. 

Sakshi was at her attacking best against USA's Yosline Perez to get a unanimous verdict from the judges in the women's 54kg final while Jaismine kept her cool under pressure to get the better of Jucielen Cequeira Romeu of Brazil 4:1 in the women's 57kg weight category. Nupur then overcame the challenge of Kazakhstan boxer Yeldana Talipova to earn a 5:0 verdict in the 80+kg final.

The Indian contingent finished with 11 medals, including three gold, five silver and three bronze medals. India had bagged six medals in the first leg in Brazil, including a gold and a silver. In the first session of the final day on Sunday, it was Sakshi who managed to stand atop the podium with a stellar display that combined speed and combination punches to open India's gold medal account.

In the evening session, Jaismine had to use her long reach to keep her Brazilian opponent at bay in the third and final round after there was not much to separate the two after the first two rounds. The tall 23-year-old stayed away from her opponent in the final round and landed punches on the counterattack to get the judges' nod.

Nupur also struggled at the start against Talipova as the home boxer took the opening round. But the Indian boxer completely dominated the next two rounds, landing punches at will and out-thinking her opponent to have the last laugh. Earlier, Meenakshi pushed hard for victory against local favourite Nazym Kyzaibay in the 48kg final but ended on the wrong side of a 3:2 verdict.

Jugnoo (men's 85kg), Pooja Rani (women's 80kg), Hitesh Gulia (men's 70kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (men's 65kg) will also return home with silver medals after losing their respective finals. Jugnoo lost 0:5 against Bekzad Nurdauletov of Kazakhstan while Pooja went down by an identical score line against Australia's Eseta Flint. In the evening session, Hitesh lost 0:5 against Brazil's Kaian Oliveira while Jamwal went down 2:3 against Yuri Falcao. Sanju (women's 60kg), Nikhil Dubey (men's 75kg) and Narender (men's 90+ kg) will return home with a bronze medal each. (ANI)